Better Things (2016– )

Although I have been an IMDb member for over a year, I have never felt compelled to write a review until now. Better Things is enthralling, relatable, raw. It's a paradox, as nothing really happens, but at the same time everything happens - it is not one of those series where every episode is packed with new revelations and adventures and dramas. Yet I felt myself impatient to watch the next episode, as each was filled to the brim with those little everyday events that we often dismiss as meaningless, but which have the biggest impact in shaping us as individuals, and our relationships with those around us.

I watched all 10 episodes in one sitting. I rarely do this. I never lost interest, which is rare for me. I did not initially know that Louis CK had written/directed this, as I like to approach a new series with no preconceptions or prior knowledge in order to keep an open mind. It was during the second episode that I suggested to myself that this was extremely similar to Louis CK's style. And lo and behold it was.

If you want constant action, falsified drama and fake laughter, then this is not for you. If you want everyday life presented in a raw, realistic manner, yet which reveals the profound impact of daily events between family members and friends, then this is for you. I do not have children, but I imagine that this is EXACTLY what it is like - and I often ask mothers what it is like to be a parent (research for my decision as to whether or not to have children!!). Children are a pain in the a*s; parents are exhausted; children moan, swear, fight, shout, annoy you. But those little moments make everything fall into place, as you see that children rely on their parents (or mother) for so much more than clothes, food, lifts to school, and a heated home to live in.

This does not feel like an edited, rehearsed series. It feels like I am peering through the window of the neighbour. It is real, and it will reel you in. Absolutely brilliant.